Headboard clamp and bedframe combination



Nov. 21, 1961 w. A. AKRAM 3,009,170

HEADBOARD CLAMP AND BEDFRAME COMBINATION Filed Feb. 8, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. h/Az/ A. AKEAM A TTOR/VEL Nov. 21,1961 w. A. AKRAM 3,009 7 HEADBOARD CLAMP AND BEDFRAME COMBINATION Filed Feb. 8, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11 INVENTOR.

0 Q {a S ML/ ,4. AKEAM ATTOENEK United States Patent 3,009,170 HEADBOARD CLAMP AND BEDFRAME COMBINATION Wali A. Akram, 7605 Woodland Ave., Cleveland, Ohio Filed Feb. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 7,306 Claims. (Cl. 58)

This invention relates to beds and more particularly to beds of the Hollywood type wherein two beds are secured to a common headboard.

Hollywood type beds usually include a removable headboard and two conventional metal bedframes which are detachably connected, at their outboard sides, one to each of the legs of the headboard. Such connections usually are effected by suitable clamps. However, prior clamps of this type have proven to be cumbersome to apply and ineffective in operation.

In Hollywood type beds of the type wherein two beds are used with and secured to a common headboard, in order to make the bed, it is essential that at least one of the beds be adapted to swing out horizontally from the headboard and away from the other bed to enable the user to get between the beds. In bed constructions of this type, an additional clamping problem is encountered in that the clamp must have incorporated therein hinge means adapted to swing about an upright axis.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, effective and inexpensive clamping device for detachably securing a bedframe to a headboard.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clamp ing device of the aforementioned type enabling facile adjustment of the various parts as well as fastening the same, such adjustment and fastening being effected without damaging the headboard and without requiring the services of a skilled mechanic.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clamping device which can fit and tightly clamp upright headboard legs throughout a wide range of sizes.

Another object is to provide a clamping device for the purposes described which can be detachably connected to the headboard and bed'frame without any structural change in either.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a conventional dual bed and headboard secured together by clamping devices embodying the present invention, the headboard legs being shown in section;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view of the clamp illustrated in FIG. 1, together with hinge attachments, and showing the relative position of the parts prior to assembly; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view of the clamp illustrated in FIG. 1 and showing the relative position of the parts prior to assembly in the absence of the hinge attachments.

Although the invention is shown and described herein with reference to certain types of bedframe constructions, it will be understood that it may be employed in any type of application containing elements that must be detachable and hingedly connected togther.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a conventional twin bedframe construction of the Hollywood type wherein two bedframes A and B are used with a com mon headboard 10. The frame A comprises an inboard side rail 12 and an outboard side rail 14 joined by the transverse head rail 16 and the transverse foot rail 18. Fixedly secured to the head end of the outboard side rail 14 is a vertical angle member 19 which forms the corner post having a side flange 19d juxtaposed against the outboard side rail and an upright end flange 19a disposed 3,009,170 Patented Nov. 21., 1961 ice against the headboard end of the side rail, such end flange having an inner face 19 and an outer bearing face 19g. The frame B is of like construction and includes an outboard side rail 20 and an inboard side rail 22 which are joined by a transverse head rail 24 and a trans verse foot rail (not shown). At the head end of the out board side rail 20 is a vertical angle member 23 for connection to the other leg of the headboard and having a side flange 23d and an upright end flange 23e, such end flange having an inner face 23 and an outer bearing face 23g. The end flanges 19c and 232 may be separate elements per se secured directly to their respective side rails 14 and 20.

Both of the bed frames A and B are provided with suitably spaced vertical legs (not shown) which are secured to the side rails in spaced relation to the ends thereof, each of such legs having casters at the lower end thereof to enable the beds to be easily rolled over the floor. Thus, as is common with such beds, the bed frames support the headboard instead of the headboard supporting the attached ends of the frames.

In the form shown, each of the frame side rails is an angle iron which is L-shaped in cross section and has one flange disposed horizontally with the other and extending upwardly therefrom.

At or adjacent each end of the headboard 10 are the vertical headboard legs 26 and 28, respectively. Generally, such legs are of wood construction, as illustrated.

The headboard legs 28 and 26 are detachably clamped in face to face juxtaposition with the end flanges 19a, and 23e of vertical angle members 19 and 23, respectively, of the bedframes by clamping devices of the present invention.

Two identical clamping devices C and C are illustrated and described, the clamp C being used alone for the rigid connection in FIGS. 1 and 3, and the clamp C being used with an accessory clamp H for the hinged connection shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Since the clamps C and C are identical in function and structure, the parts of clamp C, used for the fixed connection, are identified by numerals only and the corresponding parts of clamp C, used for the hinged con nection, are identified by the same numerals as used on clamp C, but followed by the suffix a.

The clamps are described in the positions they have when installed. The clamp C which is used to provide a rigid connection between the bedframe and the headboard comprises a base member 32 and a coacting clamp member 34, each of the members being of L-shaped horizontal cross section. The member 32 includes a base portion 36 and an arm portion 37 secured at a right angle to one edge 33 of the base portion, the other edge 35 of the base portion having an intu-rned abutment flange 38 to form the intersection or margin 39.

The member 34 includes a base portion 40 and a clamping arm portion 41 secured to one edge thereof and extending at less than a right angle to the plane of the base portion 40, as shown. The arm portion 41 has an outer face 43. To assemble the clamp C, the members 32 and 34 are placed with the portions 36 and 40 facing each other, moving from the positions shown in FIG. 3 to the assembled position shown in FIG. 1, with the plane of the base portion 40 disposed at an acute angle to the plane of the base portion 36 of the member 32 and with the intersection or margin 42 of the portions 40 and 41 preferably disposed adjacent or against the inner face 38d of the abutment flange 38 of the member 32, such that the member 34 may rock or pivot horizonta-lly a limited amount at or adjacent the intersection 39.

With the parts in such assembled position, suitable clamping means such as the bolt 44 may be passed through aligned apertures 46 and 47 in the base portions 40 and 36, respectively, after which a wing nut 48 may be threaded onto the bolt to complete the assembly. The assembled clamp is C-shape in horizontal section, the portions 37 and 41 forming the arms of the being substantially parallel to each other when the base portions 36 and 40 are divergent relative to each other away from the flange 38. The headboard leg 28 is juxtaposed in face to face relation to the end flange 196 of the angle member 19.

Since the base portion 40 and arm portion 41 of the member 34 are joined at less than a right angle, tightening of the bolt 44 causes the member 34 to rock at or adjacent the upright margin or intersection 39 while the members 32 and 34 are constrained from lateral displacement by engagement of the intersection 42 with the flange 38. This causes the arm portion 41 to engage the inner face 19 of the end flange 19e of the member 19 and to draw the portion 37 of member 32 and portion 41 of member 34 toward each other into clamping engagement with the inner face 191 of the end flange 19c and the outer face 28d of the leg 28. This provides effective clamping action. The arm portion 41 is provided with a horizontal slot 49 for receiving the horizontal flange 50 of the outboard side rail 14 when the clamp is in assembled position on the bed. The slot 49 extends from the outer edge 51 of the arm portion 41 inwardly toward the base portion 40. The engagement of the flange 50 with the walls of the slot assures that the clamp remains in fixed vertical position relative to the frame A.

The accessory hinge or hinge clamp H includes three plate members; namely, a clamp guide member or plate 52, a coacting bracket plate or bracket member 54, and a hinge plate or hinge member 56.

The clamp guide member 52 contains inturned inboard flanges 61, 62, and 63. The flanges 61 and 62 engage the surface 64 adjacent the edge 64d of the member 54, in the manner shown in FIG. 1. The flange 63 is disposed further in the inboard direction than the flanges 61 and 62 and engages the edge 64d. l his construction maintains the member 52 in clamped, parallel relation to the member 54 when the end flange 23a is clamped therebetween in the assembled position of the clamp H. A slot 65 is provided in the member 52 for receiving the horizontal flange 66 of the outboard side rail 20 when the accessory clamp H is assembled on the bedframe as shown, such slot extending from the outer edge 69 toward the opposite edge 72 of the member 52. The flanges 67 and 68 at the edges of the slot 65 prevent the clamp H from shifting vertically from its normal vertical position on the side rail 20.

The bracket member 54 contains the spaced flanges 70 and 71 on the upper and lower edges thereof, respectively, for receiving the plate 56 therebetween when the clamp H is assembled.

The hinge plate member 56 has an inner face 75 which contains the spaced inturned flanges 73 and 74 on the upper and lower edges thereof, such flange being spaced to coact with the flanges 70 and 71, respectively, to restrain the member 56 from vertical displacement relative to the member 54 when the clamp H is assembled.

To assemble the clamp H, the hinge member 56 is placed between the flanges 70 and 71 of the bracket member 54 and the hinge pin 80 (which constitutes the upright pivotal axis for the members 54 and 56) is then passed through aligned apertures 82, 83, 84 and 85 of the members, whereby the members 54 and 56 are hinged together for swinging movement about a vertical axis. Next, suitable clamping means such as the bolt 90 is passed through the apertures 92 and 93 in the members 54 and 52, respectively, and the wing nut 95 is loosely threaded onto the bolt, thus loosely connecting these members. "The clamp H is then disposed on the bedframe with the slot 65 accommodating the flange 66 and with the bracket 54 juxtaposed against the outer face 23g of upright end flange 23c of the member 23 and clamped thereagainst by tightening the nut 95. Thus, the members 52 and 54 have aligned portions 52c and 540 extending inwardly of the frame B beyond the horizontal flange 66. Next, the members 34a and 32a are loosely assembled by the bolt 44a and nut 48a. The arm 41a is then juxtaposed against the inner face of the plate 56, and the arm portion 37a is juxtaposed against the face 26d of the headboard leg 26, as illustrated at the left in FIG. 1. The nut 48a is then tightened to clamp the plate 56 firmly against the opposite face 266 of the leg 26.

Thus, the frame B is connected by its outboard rail 20 to the leg 26 of the common headboard so as to swing outwardly away from the frame A.

If desired, both frames A and B may be connected fixedly in position on the common headboard. Also, a single narrow headboard may be clamped fixedly at both legs to the same bedframe.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A clamp for clamping to a bedframe side rail having an upright end flange at its head end with a bearing face facing outwardly endwise of the frame, said side rail having a horizontal flange adjacent the inner face of the end flange, a headboard leg juxtaposed against said bearing face, said clamp comprising a pair of members each having a base portion and a clamping arm portion angularly disposed (to each other so that each member is generally L-shape in horizontal section, said members being disposed with their base portions facing each other to provide a clamp of C-shape horizontal section in which the arm portions are in opposed spaced parallel relation to each other when the base portions are in contact at or adjacent one upright edge of one of the base portions, said base portions being divergent from each other away from said edge in a direction transversely of the arm portions, clamping means connecting the base portions in spaced relation to said edge for rocking the base portions, and thereby the arm portions, toward each other about said edge, whereby the arm portion of one member can engage the face of the leg which is outermost endwise of the frame and the arm portion of the other member can engage said inner face of the end flange.

2. A clamp according to claim 1 wherein said am portion of the other member has a horizontal slot extending from its outer edge inwardly toward its base portion for receiving said horizontal flange edgewise of the flange and for engaging such horizontal flange for limiting relative movement of the clamp and side rail vertically.

3. A clamp according to claim 1 wherein said one member has an abutment flange at said edge, said abutment flange extending in the same direction from said one member as the arm portion of said one member, said abutment flange engaging the outer face of the arm portion of the other member and constraining the other member from bodily displacement in a direction away from the arm portion of said one member.

4. In a bedframe including a headboard having an upright leg, a side rail having an upright end flange at its head end with a bearing face facing outwardly endwise of the frame and having a horizontal flange adjacent the inner face of the end flange, said leg being normally juxtaposed adjacent the bearing face, a clamp engaged with the end flange, the leg, and the horizontal flange and detachably clamping the leg in fixed position relative to the end flange, said clamp comprising a pair of members each having a base portion and a clamping arm portion angularly disposed to each other so that each member is generally L-shape in horizontal section, said members being disposed with their base portions facing each other to provide a clamp of C-shape horizontal section in which the arm portions are in spaced parallel relation to each other when the base portions are in contact at or adjacent one upright edge and are divergent from each other away from said edge in a direction transversely of the arm portions, clamping means connecting the base portions in spaced relation to said edge for rocking the base portions, and thereby the arm portions, toward each other about said edge, the arm portion of one member engaging the face of the leg which is outermost endwise of the frame, a. hinge having a bracket plate juxtaposed against said bearing face said bracket plate having a pivotal axis along its edge transversely outermost from the frame, a guide plate disposed against the opposite face of the end flange and having a horizontal slot extending from one edge toward the opposite edge and of the guide plate accommodating said horizontal flange, said bracket plate and guide plate having aligned portions extending transversely inwardly of the frame beyond the horizontal flange and with aligned apertures therein, clamping means connecting said aligned portions for clamping the bracket plate against said hearing face with its pivotal axis upright, said hinge having a hinge plate hingedly connected to the bracket plate along its pivotal axis and juxtaposed against the face of the leg which faces toward the frame, and the arm portion of said other member engaging the inner face of the hinge plate and clamping it firmly against the face of the leg facing toward the frame.

5. A clamp according to claim 4 wherein said bracket plate and said hinge plate each has horizontal marginal flanges extending radially from the pivotal axis and extending edgewise toward the other plate, and said flanges being in face to face contact and constraining such plates from movement out of vertical position relative to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 331,164 Shaw Nov. 24, 1885 801,472 Nelson Oct. 10, 1905 848,036 Kruger Mar. 26, 1907 1,529,653 Hooke Mar. 17, 1925 2,523,987 FOX Sept. 26, 1950 2,579,206 Sands et 211. Dec. 18, 1951 2,823,392 Barry Feb. 18, 1958 2,883,680 Roche Apr. 28, 1959 2,907,054 Sar-k Oct. 6, 1959 

